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Arkay Packaging Welcomes the Botetourt Corporate Visitation Program

4/1/2016

Fincastle, VA — The Botetourt Corporate Visitation Program (BCVP) held its inaugural visit at Arkay Packaging in EastPark Industrial Park on March 29, 2016. The visit gathered representatives from Botetourt County government, Botetourt County Public Schools, Virginia Western Community College, the Virginia Employment Commission, and the Workforce Development Board. Hosted by Kim Crawford, Human Resource Manager for Arkay, the group participated in a round table discussion about the needs of the company and the business community and then took a tour of the facility to learn more about Arkay.

“We want our people to know what is going on inside the walls of our Botetourt companies,” said County Administrator Gary Larrowe, who developed the BCVP. “We are creating a team of ambassadors to spread interest in our companies throughout the community.”

Much of the discussions focused on workforce development and helping students and others looking for jobs to get plugged into the industry. Traditionally, more than 80 percent of new jobs developed in a community come from the businesses already in the community. Botetourt County has had much success in recent years with existing companies choosing to expand rather than relocate. The BCVP is working to get the next generation to stay in Botetourt by helping them find future careers with those expanding companies.

“Our goal is to get students interested in our industry and get them excited about what we are doing,” said Kim Crawford of Arkay. “We want to make an investment and build a clear path for our young people to make a living in their home community.”

The County, the school system, and Virginia Western Community College have been partnering in recent years to emphasize job-ready skills. From the success of the welding and mechatronics programs to other initiatives at the Botetourt Technical Educational Center and the Greenfield Education and Training Center, the community has developed a consistent dedication to workforce development. The BCVP strengthens and expands those relationships to the benefit of the students.

“We have a keen focus on developing soft and hard skills in our students,” said Botetourt County Public Schools Superintendent John Busher. “By showing them opportunities, we can hopefully light a spark in our kids.”

The next phases of the BCVP will involve both bringing the company representatives to the schools and community colleges to facilitate discussions with staff and having teachers and parents visit the companies to learn about the opportunities available. The goal is to build educational programs that help the next generation of Botetourt County live and work in the community in which they grew up.